VENTURA COUNTY FOCUS | VENTURA

Irish Rovers to Lead 10th Annual Parade

Ventura will celebrate another St. Patrick's Day on Saturday with its 10th annual parade.

Serving as grand marshals, The Irish Rovers will lead 80 parade entries from Mission San Buenaventura to Kalorama Street beginning at 10 a.m. under what are expected to be mostly sunny skies.

Ventura's famous 27-foot-long inflatable green pig, along with Irish dancers and Connemara ponies, are slated to be among the entries in the parade, which sports the theme "Irish Rebels, Rogues and Rovers."

Immediately after the parade, the annual Irish festival begins at Mission Park with a "Welcome to the Rovers."

Attendees can take in the songs and storytelling of Santa Barbara's Foggy Dew, the Celtic music of Buzzworld and other entertainment, while nibbling on such traditional delicacies as corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew and Irish beer.

The less traditionally inclined can munch on dishes ranging from tri-tip and salsa to green pasta.

Admission is $1, with children admitted free.

The festival winds up at 4:30 p.m. It also will run from noon through 4 p.m. Sunday.